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06-16-2016, 10:02 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 161
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2015 RAM 2500 4x4 6.7 + Air Lift 5000
IF you own a RAM 2500 with coil spring rear suspension, you REALLY need to spend the 280.00 shipped for the AirLift Loadlifter 5000 air bag kit. Took me a total of 1 hour to install and man what a difference ALL THE WAY AROUND!!!
For kicks I inflated bags to 80psi and went driving unloaded expecting to get beat to death-NOT!!!
Then dropped to 50psi and now all the harshness of a unloaded 2500 is GONE from the rear of the truck!!!
Hooked up the 5er and went for a spin and twisty roads and interstate at speed and now it feels as if I'm towing with a dually!
Long story short, dirt cheap mod, best mod you can do for your sanity and safety, and crazy easy install that only took me 1 hour! (I am fairly mechanically minded, but still really easy for anyone to install) -note-the ONLY reason you would remove rear tires is to simply give yourself more room to work. I did NOT remove tires to install mine.
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06-17-2016, 08:16 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 496
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I used those bags on my last two 3/4 tons trucks and highly recommend them.
__________________
Doc
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2014 V-Cross Platinum 365VTSB (Bought Labor Day 2014)
TV: 2016 GMC 3500 Denali - Motor Ops Tuned
Days Camped 2016: 28
Days Camped 2017: 25 so far
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06-25-2016, 02:15 AM
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#3
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Metairie, La
Posts: 5
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Ram 2500, firestone 3500 Ride Rite Air bags
New to all this camping stuff..
But I noticed the stern of my Dodge would squat 3 or 4 inches when I connected the camper.. So, I ordered a set of Firestone 3500 Ride Rite Air Bag Helper Springs for my Ram 2500.. Wife said they came in last week and am looking forward to the install.. Only a few more days of pushing barges on the Big Muddy
and I'll be able to play with my new toy (Road Yacht ), Forest River Wildwood..
I have to say owning and maintaining a camper is very similar to running a tug boat.. It's all about periodic and preventive macitence.. Cause when something breaks or goes terribly wrong, it is not going to happen tied to the dock or sitting in your drive way.. It will happen in the worst place at the worst time..
So, a big thank you to all you guys that post all this much needed information..
Good stuff !!
Thanks Guys
Duffy St.Pierre
Metairie, La.
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07-16-2016, 11:15 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Somewhere in the Ozarks...
Posts: 1,137
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Hmmm. Never noticed a rough ride in my truck. Don't know if I really need them or not, but the price sure seems right. Have to think about that one for a while.
__________________
2015 Forest River Rockwood Signature Series Ultra Lite 8289WS w/Diamond pkg.
2014 RAM CTD 6.7 Tradesman 4WD Auto Crew Cab Long Bed
Honda eu2200i generators
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07-17-2016, 02:02 AM
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#5
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Metairie, La
Posts: 5
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Hi Guys
The Firestone 3500 air bags sure did make a big difference.. Feels a lot smoother on the highway and truck doesn't squat like it did before.. With out the TT hooked up I am running 18 LBS in the air bags and get a very comfortable ride in my Dodge 2500.. With the TT hooked up I fill the air bags to 36 to 40 LBS and it feels good to me.. It was definitely worth the money and the install only took about an hour.. Ps: I did not remove the rear tires..
Duffy
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07-17-2016, 06:40 AM
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#6
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Professional Curmudgeon
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 754
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While I don't have a Dodge, I have been running the AirLift bags for a while.
I'd like to note, for those pulling a TT, that you need to set your airbag pressure prior to adjusting your weight distribution hitch, not the other way around.
If you adjust the hitch first, then add air, you are going to adversely affect the weight distribution.
If your truck normally sags three inches when the trailer is first connected, simply lift the rear of the truck two inches before connecting the trailer, then hook up and go through the routine of measuring the front bumper and adjusting the bars to bring the front back down.
Hope this helps.
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2022 Cougar Half Ton 24RDS fifth wheel
2014 Coachmen Catalina 253RKS (sold)
2017 F350 6.7L DRW CC LB 4x4 Lariat
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08-24-2016, 12:52 AM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 54
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If air bags can put the truck's height back to normal height (before trailer hookup) would you need any weight distribution system? You could just install the friction sway control kit on the trailer tongue.
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2016 Ram 2500HD 6.4L Crew Cab 4X4
2022 Rockwood Signature Ultra Lite 8324SB
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08-24-2016, 07:27 AM
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#8
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Professional Curmudgeon
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 754
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thecigarmann
If air bags can put the truck's height back to normal height (before trailer hookup) would you need any weight distribution system? You could just install the friction sway control kit on the trailer tongue.
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The hitch itself is only rated for a certain weight (500 or 600 pounds usually). The tongue weight of most travel trailer exceeds this amount and still needs to be redistributed.
Most (if not all) truck manufacturers build in a certain amount of preload in an attempt to compensate for what they call a light load. Some are more successful than others. Airbags are simply a way to adjust the suspension to reduce excessive sag, they do nothing to redistribute trailer tongue weight. I do have one travel trailer with tongue weight below 600 pounds, for that one I use a regular draw bar hitch and add air until level. No need for antisway beyond what is built in to the truck for that one.
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08-24-2016, 02:39 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Conroe, TX
Posts: 333
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Thanks for the review! I'm definitely interested. If I run the crazy/stupid door sticker pressures of 60/80 psi, the ride is rough and dangerous in the rain when empty.
Assuming you run door sticker pressure?
__________________
2021 Ram 1500 Big Horn LvL2 Quad Cab 4x4 5.7L 3.92
Trailer Steering and Integrated Trailer TPMS
GVWR: 7100
GAWRF: 3900 GAWRR: 4100 GCWR: 17,000
Payload Sticker: 1,867 lbs Tow Capacity: 11,767 lbs
Towing a nice 5th wheel near you
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12-20-2016, 03:30 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 522
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You guys that are running air bag I'm planning on getting some but where are you guys putting your air fitting, are you running two out the back, I'm thinking a splitter and just running one I always load the load even so I should be good?
__________________
2018 Dodge Ram 3500 6.7L CTD
2019 Jayco Eagle 321RSTS
Retired Army MSG.
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12-20-2016, 06:30 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 4,223
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Big1
You guys that are running air bag I'm planning on getting some but where are you guys putting your air fitting, are you running two out the back, I'm thinking a splitter and just running one I always load the load even so I should be good?
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I put the Schrader valve fitting in a hole drilled in the bottom of the bumper.
Although it's a bit more money ($275 or so) I really recommend installing the AirLift remote control compressor.
x2 on wrvond's post about setting the air bag pressure prior to setting up the WD hitch. I received conflicting info about that and called both Equalizer and Blue Ox. Both told me to set the bag pressure first. FWIW, my Curt receiver hitch on a Ram 1500 is rated at 1,600 pounds tongue weight and 16,000 pounds pull weight. Very few factory hitches are rated high enough to handle trailers with more than 1,000 pound tongue weight (mine is 1,250).
__________________
BIRDS AREN’T REAL
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12-20-2016, 07:11 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,275
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I don't have the newer 2500 with air, but I wish I did. But, FWIW, my leaf-spring 2500 CTD (2012) short bed crew, to stop bouncing or rocking front to back, I installed Timbrens, which work without the trailer to give about 1/2" to 3/4" free travel for a stock ride, but they will hit on a large bump... however they do stop the terrible bouncing with trailer attached. They are essentially just very tall rubber snubbers and are not adjustable, but are much less expensive, plus there is less to fail. I can install or uninstall them in about 15 minutes. I have at least 1400# of TW and with the Andersen WDH, so rated and adjusted properly the rear is not squatted even without the Timbrens.
WW
__________________
Hyper Lite was sold
2017 F-250 4x4 6.2L Gas
I can't fix everything, but I can make it so nobody else can
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12-20-2016, 08:41 AM
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#13
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Professional Curmudgeon
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 754
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Big1
You guys that are running air bag I'm planning on getting some but where are you guys putting your air fitting, are you running two out the back, I'm thinking a splitter and just running one I always load the load even so I should be good?
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When I installed mine, I was going to run two separate inlets inside the gas cap cover. However, I wasn't happy with the routing the air line would have had to take so I decided to mount at the license plate instead. It was at that point I determined I'd rather have both bags on one valve for a couple reasons:
1. If a bag should suddenly deflate, I didn't want one empty and one with a bunch of air in it.
2. We really are talking about a fairly low volume of air at a fairly low pressure. Trying to get two bags at exactly the same psi with an external pump would be difficult. Just checking the air pressure will cost you a pound or more of air.
One final note if you are still trying to choose your airbags, I recommend you ensure they incorporate an internal jounce pad. This will allow you to run 0 psi if you need to.
@emm_dee - I just upgraded my hitch from the Ford factory class IV (600/6000 lbs) to a Curt class V (2550/17000 lbs). I also have a Curt drawbar rated the same with a 14000 lb. ball.
Now, without a WDH I can hook up and add air to level - done!
__________________
2022 Cougar Half Ton 24RDS fifth wheel
2014 Coachmen Catalina 253RKS (sold)
2017 F350 6.7L DRW CC LB 4x4 Lariat
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12-20-2016, 09:12 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Texas Hill Country
Posts: 269
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Nice job. The airlifts look to be a lot more straight forward than the firestones. I just swithched from a 14 Ram 2500 to a 15 Ram 2500. I switched the airbags out and must have put about 10 hours in doing so. I do have a compressor and installed a pillar pod for the air gage.
It makes it nice when road conditions change and you can tweek it from the cab.
Salt
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12-20-2016, 09:26 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Oswego il
Posts: 2,428
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When I installed my air bags I too ran the lines to the back bumper but they each control one air bag. My fittings are placed in the license plate lower mounting holes so the air valves look like they are the mounting bolts for the plates. This allows me to fill the bags if either the controller fails or the compressor fails.
I can check the air pressure from my cab with the remote wireless controller also without placing another gage on the dash. I already have three mounted on the A-pillar.
__________________
Jim W.
2016 34RL CC; 2008 Ram Mega Cab 2500HD, 6.7L, 68RFE 6 speed, 4X4, Smarty S67, TDR 145K+miles
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12-20-2016, 03:21 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: TEXAS
Posts: 218
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I put the valve in the hole for the license plate screw, no drilling required.
__________________
2018 Refection 311BHS
2011 Wildcat 32QBT (SOLD)
2006 GMC 2500, Airsafe 20K hitch, Air Lift Loadlifter 5000 air bags with Air Lift WirelessONE compressor, EFI Live
Jack of all trades, Master on none
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12-20-2016, 03:54 PM
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#17
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Rome, Pa
Posts: 28
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I would suggest to flip for the compressor. I love mine. It kicks on automatically if one bag gets out of tolerance for weight. Also, I mentioned in another post that I use my air supply to raise and lower my camper too when hooking and unhooking. Without the air compressor I couldn't do that as easy. Definitely worth it. As far as the valve stem, I ran mine into my gas cap. To keep it out of the weather and out of site. I'm a little OCD when it comes to things out of the norm!😉
__________________
The Moyer's
2014 Wildcat 337 FB
2015 Chevy 2500 6.0L
Air Lift 5000 Air Spring w/ Internal Jounce Bumper & Wireless Air Leveling Compressor
Demco Hijacker Autoslide 5th Wheel Hitch- 18,000 lbs
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12-20-2016, 11:11 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: TEXAS
Posts: 218
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Big1
You guys that are running air bag I'm planning on getting some but where are you guys putting your air fitting, are you running two out the back, I'm thinking a splitter and just running one I always load the load even so I should be good?
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I recommend the WirelessONE air compressor. This is what I did..... http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ll-121412.html
__________________
2018 Refection 311BHS
2011 Wildcat 32QBT (SOLD)
2006 GMC 2500, Airsafe 20K hitch, Air Lift Loadlifter 5000 air bags with Air Lift WirelessONE compressor, EFI Live
Jack of all trades, Master on none
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12-21-2016, 04:01 PM
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#19
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 11
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Run 2 sep lines. You dont want 1 bag filling another going around a corner or a load shift. I put a remote controlled compressor on mine. Makes it easy to see pressure in each bag and fill / deflate when I connect/disconnect. Honestly I do it so frequently I cant imagine filling via the 2 ports I ran as backups .
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12-21-2016, 11:00 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Texas Hill Country
Posts: 269
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Twisted1
Run 2 sep lines. You dont want 1 bag filling another going around a corner or a load shift.
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I'd rather have both the same.
Salt
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